Voting was locked for this match at midnight on Wednesday 21st September but you may still add your mini match reports. Note that members and non-members alike were able to vote.

Your Aston Villa v Southampton Match Reports

halftimeorange added 09:57 - Sep 17 What a disappointment. They had Coutinho, we didn't and that was the difference between two teams who, on this performance, look destined to struggle. The Saints performance began badly with Bazanu uncharacteristically hoofing the ball straight to Martinez on four occasions, effectively stifling our play. As the game went on Salisu made his all too regular error of not playing out quickly and was nearly caught in possession. He then continually asked our players to come towards him whenever he was required to take, presumably, long throws. What was that all about? Why wasn't it sorted out on the training ground? If any player should've been subbed it was JWP. His total lack of leadership, negative play - passing backwards, even when we were running out of time and poor crosses by his usual standards, seemed to me to contribute massively to our blunt attack. It was soon obvious that Adams couldn't outjump the Villa defence but, all the balls went in high (training ground again). Djenepo showed why he received a new contract, Elyonnoussi showed why he shouldn't be given one and should've been off much earlier. I thought Larios showed massive promise in his cameo but, his name doesn't feature above but, I would've given him 7 - my highest score yesterday. There is undoubted huge talent in our squad but, if this was the best Ralph could get out of them then his days are certainly numbered. Please sign a proper target man in January - Wolves have got Diego Costa on a short-term contract. What a difference someone like that would make!

8

Block8 added 10:16 - Sep 17 The relief that the trains were running quickly evaporated into the chilly night air with the realisation that although thousands had turned up and millions tuned in to watch, no one turned up to play! This was an awful game between two teams more concerned with not losing than actually trying to win and we were by far the worst. Not a single Saints player deserved more than a five, with most on a four or even some a three. Ely and Diallo were dreadful, I'm sure JWP thought we were kicking the other way and Kotchap, after his call up, played like he thought he's made it already. KWP had probably his worst ever game for us and Bazunu seemed to be affected by the malaise in front of him. We were second to most balls, getting in each others way and Che even managed to make Mings look good. This is a very young team and may at times, tonight being one of them, need a lot more guidance than they are currently getting, on the pitch especially. The only other thing that concerns me a bit is why we have some of our best players on the bench? It may give us a stronger team second half but is not too helpful if we are already losing!

11

YosemiteSaint added 10:26 - Sep 17 Dire, negative football. Heat maps will show we shrank from the attacking third like vampires shrink from daylight. Some players (JWP and Che most prominently) just flat out ghosted us, while others (Elyounoussi, Walker-Peters, Djenepo) worked themselves into the ground somehow to everyone's detriment because they had nowhere to go. Villa weren't much better, but they accounted for themselves by clogging the midfield and winning every ball. I've been a Saints fan for over thirty years, and catch every game i can. But i made the wrong choice watching Saints today, and should've tuned in to Forest-Fulham!

8

claus5 added 12:21 - Sep 17 Absolutely bloody awful. Move on and hope next time is better.
4

silverspringsaint added 12:26 - Sep 17 Yet again we came out of a game with moderate Midlands opposition with no points, yet only having conceded twice. Team performance overall was poor - biggest concern though is creating chances and getting goals. Stu Armstrong ought to start as he is one of the few that can link midfield and attack effectively. Only positive was a chance for Larios to get a run out.

7

I_would added 13:15 - Sep 17 Midfield 1 - No midfield at all 0 Elyounoussi, you must be joking Ralph...... and blaming it on the players not being good enough, there are flights to Austria, get on one!
2

codge added 13:28 - Sep 17 Halftimeorange got it right word for word what l would of said perfect review.
2

IanSouthstander added 14:56 - Sep 17 It's a pity Larios doesn't feature in the ratings. I thought he was the one positive to come out of the evening. Although i was alarmed when i saw him warming up at the start. He's knee high to a grasshopper and looks like a schoolboy.
1

sidsaint added 18:05 - Sep 17 Awful game, my lowest player ratings for some time, Ralph absolutely shellshocked in the post match interview. If we don't get something out of next home game against Everton then it must be time for a change.
6

Jellybaby added 20:15 - Sep 17 I have seen Saints get absolutely thrashed many times and I know we were always in with a chance of nicking a point in this game, but this was pretty depressing fare and literally the most boring game I can remember seeing Two painfully poor teams, only Coutinho stood out and maybe Mings. Bella-Kotchap was the best of a very bad bunch of Saints. Surely can't play as bad again....

5

DPeps added 21:08 - Sep 17 Underlines that we needed to sign an established attacking player. And also that we miss Lavia. We're still carrying a few out there
6

JimmyMeliaPhD added 00:06 - Sep 18 if you pick a team and choose tactics that aren't even trying to score a goal, you're not going to win many games and you're probably delusional. And if you choose defence against a team that is as desperately poor as you are, you're also cowardly. Ralph really has to go. Depsite the waves of enthusiasm that arise every time we get a point, the simple fact remains, we don't get many points when he is manager

1

Jellybaby added 00:09 - Sep 18 I have seen Saints get absolutely thrashed many times and I know we were always in with a chance of nicking a point in this game, but this was pretty depressing fare and literally the most boring game I can remember seeing Two painfully poor teams, only Coutinho stood out and maybe Mings. Bella-Kotchap was the best of a very bad bunch of Saints. Surely can't play as bad again....

0

JimmyMeliaPhD added 00:59 - Sep 18 if you pick a team and choose tactics that aren't even trying to score a goal, you're not going to win many games and you're probably delusional. And if you choose defence against a team that is as desperately poor as you are, you're also cowardly. Ralph really has to go. Depsite the waves of enthusiasm that arise every time we get a point, the simple fact remains, we don't get many points when he is manager

0

JimmyMeliaPhD added 00:59 - Sep 18 if you pick a team and choose tactics that aren't even trying to score a goal, you're not going to win many games and you're probably delusional. And if you choose defence against a team that is as desperately poor as you are, you're also cowardly. Ralph really has to go. Depsite the waves of enthusiasm that arise every time we get a point, the simple fact remains, we don't get many points when he is manager

1

KriSaint added 04:42 - Sep 18 Disappointing to say the least. Halftimeorange said it all. Their mediocre midfield won the midfield battles where we had too many underperformers. It annoyes me that Aribo and Stuey didn't start. Better footballers than Diallo, Moussa and Moi. And where was Ainsley M.N. in the squad???? It also annoyes me that a Villa player - clearly offside when the ball was crossed from a free kick into our box - benefits from his (off side) position to score after our keeper palmed the initial attempt onto the crossbar. I.M.O. a player being offside on the initial cross inside the box shouldn't be allowed to benefit from his offside position and score one or two seconds after the initial cross into the box. Any team can just put a player in the box in an offside position - unmarked - from a free kick cross - and hope the ball ends at his unmarked feet or head after one or two 'bounces' of the ball. Ultimately the ball ends up in the net by an offside player, and confused defenders put their heads in their hands in disbelieve while VAR referees probably have to look up the confusing offside rules before allowing the ref to allow the goal. Our two teenagers brought in from M. City, brought on in the second half, were the ONLY (small) positives from the match. They did ok. Now we have to beat Everton - or Ralph will start losing my support. I have soon had it with his match squads / line ups. SOON.

3

KriSaint added 06:39 - Sep 18 @halftimeorange I agree from a - z. If there are there any proven free agent attackers out there we should show interest. I see that Nicolai jörgensen, 31, center forward, 9 goals in 39 international games for Denmark, big strong lad, is available. Might be worth a try. Having in mind that both our CEO (Ankersen) and chairman (Kraft) are from Denmark and know him well. It's NOT Saints recruitment policy, though, I know.

2